Obamas to vacation in Maine next weekend

BANGOR, Maine — The first family will spend next weekend vacationing on Mount Desert Island, according to U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree.

President Barack Obama and his family are scheduled to arrive Friday, July 16, and stay through Sunday, July 18.

Information about where the family would stay and the sights they might take in while visiting Maine was not available Friday night. The visit is a personal family vacation and no public appearances are scheduled, Pingree said.

“What an honor that the Obama family has chosen Maine for vacation when they could have gone anywhere in the country,” she said. “I think the Obamas will really enjoy the quiet woods, beautiful coast, wonderful people and everything else that brings thousands of families here every year.”

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While White House officials were mum about where on the island the first family would stay, Obama has political connections on MDI. George Mitchell, U.S. special envoy for Middle East peace, owns a home in Seal Harbor. Mitchell and his wife, Heather, have two children, Andrew, 12, and Claire, 9. The Obama children, Malia and Sasha, are 12 and 9, respectively.

Last August, the first family visited Yellowstone National Park and Grand Canyon National Park. The Obamas also spent time on Martha’s Vineyard in August 2009.

Information about whether the family would arrive in Air Force One, the presidential jet, was not available. Neither the Bar Harbor Airport in Trenton nor the Portland International Jetport has runways long enough to accommodate the Boeing 747.

Air Force One could land at Bangor International Airport and the Obamas could take a helicopter to the airport in Trenton, then take a motorcade to MDI. Last summer, Air Force One landed on Cape Cod, the family took a helicopter to Martha’s Vineyard, then rode in a motorcade to the 28-acre compound where they stayed.